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Last weekend, I came across this article by Clive Thompson in Wired magazine that posed an interesting question: Can you look too far ahead?
As I read the article, I thought about a recent blog debate between two folks whose writing I really enjoy. Holly Hoffman kicked it off with an interesting perspective on those that tout workaholism, and JR Moreau countered with a post about deriving significant enjoyment from all of his work endeavors and the long hours they require.
Thompson suggests that many people look back and regret putting too much work before pleasure. He presents an interesting solution when posed with a choice between the two: Imagine yourself 10 years from now, looking back on your decision. What choice will make you feel happy then?
I think that's a great perspective from which to view Holly and JR's debate. I think it's possible that many who tout the sheer number of hours they work as a badge of honor (as Holly suggests) might be trying to convince themselves that they won't regret it later, and there are those (such as JR) that are currently and will continue to be very happy with their decision to pile on the work.
What do you think?
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Comments
08.04.09
I think that there probably is not enough time before you're 35 to get a couple of advanced degrees, travel the world, spend a decade working 80-hour weeks, find yourself, build great friendships, fall in love, have a baby, and find work-life balance.
You have to choose... or at least double up like finding love and friendship at work. Always be mindful of what you are choosing against.
08.04.09
GenXMom - Your list made me stop in my tracks. I just turned 30, and I can check just about all of those off or say that they are what I am focusing on right now. That said, while I don't regret any of my major decisions, I wouldn't necessarily suggest anyone else take the same path. I started very early in life on a lot of things: married at 16, had my daughter at 18, graduated college at 19 and 21, divorced, worked my tail off for just over a decade, married again to a wonderful man, and am just now (over the last 2 yrs) beginning to travel the world and have an awareness of my health and balance.
Your point is a very valid one. When you choose to overload on one or two, you are also choosing to sacrifice at least one of the others.
08.04.09
What I've learned through working at Brazen is that everybody treats work-life balance a little bit differently. That's why it's so easy to debate what it actually means through our blogs. There's no right and wrong. There's only what's right and what's wrong for YOU.
08.04.09
Very true Ryan... making your work/life balance work for you AND the others around you is what's important. It's an individual and group juggling act, but if you have good people around to help you toss the pins around, it's easier than you'd think.
08.04.09
the thing that comes to mind for me is why there has to be such a delineation between work and life. For some people work doesn't feel like work, and if that works, that's great. Like Ryan and JR both said, it's different for other people. I know for me, if I look back in 10 years, I'll be happy at having built a nice little nest egg, and having gotten some experiences under my belt by then too.
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